Different Dialects Different Flavours Different Stories

WHENEVER I THINK of the diversity of Chinese cuisine, which is most distinct between the different dialect groups, a particular memory always comes to mind—a slightly uncomfortable one. It happened years ago in a Hakka restaurant nestled in a mall. I had ordered Hakka noodles and yam abacus (算盘子)—familiar and comforting dishes for me. My dining companion—who is Hokkien—however, flipped through the menu sceptically. When our dishes arrived, she took one look and announced flatly, “These don’t look appetising at all. I’m not eating that. You go ahead.” Though I thought the food was delicious, she politely but firmly declined my repeated offers to taste them.

That moment has always served as a reminder of how easy it is to be put off by dishes of other groups—whether it is just a passing hesitation or outright resistance. We may not fully understand or appreciate these dishes simply because they seem unfamiliar; but sometimes, we are merely letting such biases stop us from discovering a new, delicious dish.